1. Technical Field
The subject invention relates to vehicular seat assemblies. More particularly, the subject invention relates to locking mechanisms for pivotal seats of vehicular seat assemblies.
2. Background of the Invention
The sophistication of seating assemblies for station wagons and sport utility vehicles is increasing as the popularity of these types of vehicles increases. As the popularity increases, seat linkage systems are required to move the seat back and the seat cushion with fewer interactive steps between the seat linkage system and the operator. This is especially true for the large bench seats found in the sport utility vehicles where it becomes difficult to maneuver the seat back and/or seat cushion into the desired position. Ideally, a seat back latching mechanism invisible to the user is preferred.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,259, issued to Simonelli on Jul. 25, 1972, discloses a seat latch wherein the supporting arm of the seat back extends past the pivot point of the frame of the seat assembly and includes an abutment surface which abuts a wall of the frame when the seat back is in the upright seat forming position. A cam locking member engages a cam surface opposite the abutment to prevent the seat back from pivoting to its folded position. Although the latching system disclosed in the Simonelli reference is simple and effective, the latching mechanism is not invisible to the operator of the seat. More specifically, the latching mechanism which locks the seat back in the upright seat forming position is not responsive to the position of the seat cushion, but will only lock upon the operator moving a dedicated latching mechanism which will lock the seat back in the upright seat forming position.
The prior art does not disclose a locking mechanism for a seat back of a vehicular seating assembly wherein the locking and unlocking of the seat back is responsive to a non-locking procedure of manipulating the position of the seat cushion.